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To This Great Stage of Fools: Born January 28th

Jan28

Sabine Baring-Gould, b. 1834. Victorian archaeologist, he had fifteen children and wrote the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers”. More information on his eccentricities here.


Vera B. Williams, b. 1927, children’s author and illustrator. She wrote and illustrated two of my favorites, A Chair for My Mother and Two Days on a River in a Red Canoe. Her bio sounds as if she’s led a colorful life: she helped start a “community” (sounds like a commune) in the hills of North Carolina and a school based on the Summerhill model. Then she moved to Canada and lived on a houseboat for a while–where she wrote her first book. Oh, and she spent a month in the federal penitentiary in West Virginia after a “peaceful blockade of the Pentagon.” Well, anyway, the books are great and not really counter-cultural at all.

Lesson plan for teaching A Chair for My Mother.

Picture Book Preschool Book of the Week (4)

Jan22

The Toolbox by Anne and Harlow Rockwell is a basic utilitarian preschool picture book about a basic, fascinating-to-most-preschoolers subject–the tools in Father’s toolbox. The text is straightforward, telling about the toolbox itself and then its contents: hammer and nails, a saw, a drill, screws and a screwdriver, a clamp, a wrench, a plane, a ruler, and pliers. “There is sandpaper to smooth wood and plaster. There are work gloves, and there is a file to rub on rough edges of metal to make them smooth.”

Your preschooler may want to actually handle the tools themselves after reading this simply and boldly illustrated book. And that’s OK, too. With close supervision and the right tools, children can enjoy building with their hands–or just trying out the tools–as much as adults do.

A great article by Tamar Andrews on woodworking with children.
Our local Home Depot offers woodworking workshops for preschoolers and older children.
I searched a little for a source for real child-sized tools on the internet, but I didn’t find anything that looked like the sort of thing I have in mind. I know we bought some child-sized tools for one of our children somewhere many years ago, and his grandfather made him a toolbox of his own. If your child is interested in tools and building and you know where to buy tools for little hands, maybe you could leave a note for the benefit of those who are reading.

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

Picture Book Preschool Book of the Week (3)

Jan16

Engineer Husband called from the living room, “Did this book win the Caldecott Medal?”

“What book?” I asked.

“Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton.”

“No I don’t think so.”

“Well, it should have because the illustrations are great.”

He’s right. The pictures are what makes this picture book special. The story is a sort of combination of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by the same author and The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. But the illustrations are colored drawings of the vehicles and buildings of Geoppolis on a background of white snow. A black and white picture map of Geoppolis on pages 6-7 gives readers a chance to slow down and find all the places in the key that’s scattered around the margin of the two page spread. Then Katy the Snowplow plows through all the snow and uncovers a little more of Geoppolis on every succeeding page.

The theme for Week 3 of Picture Book Preschool is Big Machines. Preschoolers and primary age children love machines: bulldozers, steam shovels, eighteen wheelers, dump trucks, and snow plows. There’s something about those huge machines that makes a little person feel powerful and excited just watching them work. I think Katy will be a favorite at your house for both boys and girls.

Kindergarten unit for teaching about weather, maps, community services, and summarizing using Katy and the Big Snow.
Biographical information about Virginia Lee Burton

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

Picture Book Preschool Book of the Week (2)

Jan9


Last year, miraculously, it snowed in Houston on Christmas Eve. Most of my children had never seen real snow before this event. This year on Christmas morning we woke up four year old Z-baby.

“Z-baby, it’s Christmas! Wake Up!”
She ran to the window. It was a beautiful morning, sunny, seventy degrees outside.
“Where’s the snow?” asked Z. “It can’t be Christmas; there’s no snow.”
She hadn’t told us that she remembered the snow from last year and was expecting another Christmas miracle.

So this is the week that we experience snow vicariously through the picture books of those authors and illustrators who know what living through winter is like. Susan Jeffers is the illustrator of this book of Robert Frost’s Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. I wish I could show you some of the pictures in this book here on the blog. It’s just beautiful. You’ll feel as if you’re riding in a sleigh through the snowy woods along with the poet and his farm horse. And when the narrator stops to play in the snow, you’ll want to join him.

I know this poem can be read on different levels, but it can just be a story of a man who stops in the woods to play for a while and “watch his woods fill up with snow” and who then realizes that he has many things to do and “miles to go” before evening. Children will enjoy the rhythm of the poem, the story and Jeffers’s illustrations. Adults will enjoy reading the picture book out loud and thinking about the poem and its meaning. Win/win . . . for winter.

This year on Mondays I’m planning to review some of the books listed in my book, Picture Book Preschool. Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

Picture Book Preschool Book of the Week (1)

Jan2

Charlotte Zolotow is one of the best authors of children’s books ever. She really understands the world of preschoolers and writes about them and for them with a calm, steady voice, perfect for bedtime reading , but also for daytime snuggles.

Over and Over is the story of a little girl who “didn’t understand about time.” She remembered several holidays and holiday symbols, but “they were all mixed up in her mind.” The story tells how the little girl moves through the year. Each holiday came as a special surprise of something half-remembered from the previous year. And as the story ends on the little girl’s birthday, she makes a wish that’s bound to come true over and over.

Garth WiIliams’ watercolor illustrations are warm and inviting, and this story is the same. Z-baby (age 4) is in exactly the same place as the little girl in the story, and as we read this story yesterday, Z-baby asked me if Christmas would come again like it does for the little girl. Of course, I assured her that it would–over and over.

Over and Over, first published in 1957, is a beautiful and comforting beginning-of-the-year picture book.

This year on Mondays I’m planning to review some of the books listed in my book, Picture Book Preschool. Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week.

Click on the link if you are interested in purchasing a copy of the preschool curriculum, Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early, or a set of some of the picture books listed in Picture Book Preschool,

Picture Book Preschool: Week 51

Dec19

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week.

Character Trait: Purity
Bible Verse: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

1. DePaola, Tomie. The Christmas Pageant. Winston Press, 1981. OP
2. Keats, Ezra Jack. The Little Drummer Boy. Macmillan, 1968.
3. Jeffers, Susan, illustrator. Silent Night. Dutton, 1984.
4. Brown, Margaret Wise. On Christmas Eve. Harper, 1985.
5. DePaola, Tomie. The Story of the Three Wise Kings. Putnam, 1963.
6. Spier, Peter. Peter Spier’s Christmas. Doubleday, 1983.
7. Thomas. Jean Gale. If I’d Been Born in Bethlehem. 1954. OP
BONUS: Miller, Edna. Mousekin’s Christmas Eve. Prentice-Hall, 1965
DePaola, Tomie. The Friendly Beasts. Putnam, 1981.

Activities: Involve your child in all the preparations for Christmas. Let them make ornaments for the tree. Bake a birthday cake for baby Jesus. Have a party where Jesus is the welcome guest.
Sing “Happy Birthday” and collect an offering to take to church in honor of the Christ child.

This season would be an excellent time to purchase a copy of Picture Book Preschool either for yourself or for someone you know who has a preschooler or a kindergartner. Although you can begin the curriculum at any time of the year, the booklet actually starts with the first week of January. So get yours now in preparation for a new year of reading together.

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

Picture Book Preschool: Week 49

Dec5

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week.

WEEK 49 (Dec) READING
Character Trait: Humility
Bible Verse: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

1. Andersen, Hans Christian. The Emperor’s New Clothes. Word, 1987. (many other editions)
2. Duvoisin, Roger Antoine. Petunia. Knopf, 1950. OP
3. Hoban, Lillian. Arthur’s Prize Reader. Harper, 1978.
4. Hoban, Tana. I Read Signs. Greenwillow, 1983.
5. Hoban, Tana. I Read Symbols. Greenwillow, 1983.
6. Gag, Wanda. The ABC Bunny. Putnam, 1933.
7. Rey, H.A. Curious George Learns the Alphabet. HoughtonMifflin, 1963.

Activities: Make an alphabet book together. Write one large upper case letter on each page of you homemade book, and then cut out things that begin with that letter to glue on the page with the letter. Help your child decide which pictures belong with which letter. You may want to extend this activity over several weeks; do a letter a day or a letter a week.

This season would be an excellent time to purchase a copy of Picture Book Preschool either for yourself or for someone you know who has a preschooler or a kindergartner. Although you can begin the curriculum at any time of the year, the booklet actually starts with the first week of January. So get yours now in preparation for a new year of reading together.

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

Picture Book Preschool: Week 48

Nov28

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

WEEK 48 (Nov) HEROES
Character Trait: Faithfulness
Bible Verse: This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. I John 4:10

1. Neal, J.M. Good King Wenceslas. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly. Dutton, 1988.
2. Roop, Peter and Connie. Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie. Carolrhoda, 1985.
3. Green, Norma B. The Hole in the Dike. Harper, 1975. OP
4. Seuss, Dr. Horton Hatches the Egg. Random, 1975.
5. Houston, Gloria. My Great-Aunt Arizona. Harper-Collins, 1992.
6. Provenson, Alice and Martin. The Glorious Flight. Viking, 1983.
7. Adler, David. A Picture Book of Hanukkah. Holiday House, 1982. OP

Activities: Make a list of your preschooler’s heroes. What makes each person a hero? Can heroes fail? Who will never fail us? Introduce your child to the hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness, and explain any words he does not understand.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the preschool curriculum, Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early, or a set of some of the picture books listed in Picture Book Preschool, click on the PBP link at the top of this page for more information.

This season would be an excellent time to purchase a copy of Picture Book Preschool either for yourself or for someone you know who has a preschooler or a kindergartner. Although you can begin the curriculum at any time of the year, the booklet actually starts with the first week of January. So get yours now in preparation for a new year of reading together.

Picture Book Preschool: Week 47

Nov14

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.

WEEK 47 (Nov) THANKSGIVING
Character Trait: Righteousness (Choosing Right)
Bible Verse: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

1. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. The Deer in the Wood. Scholastic, 1995.
2. Child, Lydia Maria. Over the River and Through the Woods. Illustrated by Brinton Turkle. Coward, 1974. OP
3. Devlin, Wende and Harry. Cranberry Thanksgiving. Four Winds, 1971.
4. Kessel, Joyce K. Squanto and the First Thanksgiving. Carolrhoda, 1983.
5. Gibbons, Gail. Thanksgiving Day. Holiday House, 1983.
6. Miller, Edna. Mousekin’s Close Call. Prentice-Hall, 1980. OP
7. Miller, Edna. Mousekin’s Golden House. Prentice-Hall, 1964.OP

Activities: Make sure this unit falls on the week of or just before Thanksgiving. Enjoy celebrating with your preschooler. Talk about the Pilgrims and why they came to America and how they gave thanks to God for their blessings in spite of many hardships.

Amazon Affiliate. If you click on a book cover here to go to Amazon and buy something, I receive a very small percentage of the purchase price.

Picture Book Preschool

Nov7

WEEK 46 (Nov) PETS
Character Trait: Dependability
Bible Verse: The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15

1. Day, Alexandra. Good Dog, Carl. Green Tiger, 1985.
2. 2. Anderson, C.W. Billy and Blaze. Macmillan, 1969.
3. Selsam, Millicent. Let’s Get Turtles. Harper Row, 1965. OP
4. Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. Coward, 1928.
5. Yashima, Mitsu and Taro. Momo’s Kitten. Viking, 1961.
6. Brown, Margaret Wise. Baby Animals. Illustrated by Susan Jeffers. Random House, 1989.
7. Newberry, Clare T. Marshmallow. Smithmark, 1999.
BONUS: Bridwell, Norman. Clifford, the Big Red Dog. Scholastic, 1963.

Activities: Involve your child in caring for the family pet, if you have one and if he is not already doing so. Talk about how God gave people the job of caring for the animals.
Visit a pet store.

Picture Book Preschool is a preschool/kindergarten curriculum which consists of a list of picture books to read aloud for each week of the year and a character trait, a memory verse, and activities, all tied to the theme for the week. You can purchase a downloadable version (pdf file) of Picture Book Preschool by Sherry Early at Biblioguides.